Frisco
by yay81
Summary: Arizona heads to san fransisco


**Frisco **

Arizona was happy to endure the 20hr train ride to San Fransisco. She had been invited to consult on a case down there and was secretly very grateful for the excuse to escape her messy life. She was living in a hotel, barely exchanging pleasantries with Callie, and had now fallen into bed repeatedly with a woman she didn't particularly feel attracted to. But sex was good and her life was crap, so why the hell not?

Still, this short while away from all that was just what she needed. She missed her daughter, but Callie had promised her a whole week with Sofia when she got back to make up for the fact that she wouldn't let Arizona take her on her trip. Was a 20hr train ride too much for their young child? Perhaps, but Arizona couldn't help looking longingly at the stunning coastal views out of the train window and imagining how excited Sofia would be. Oh well. Callie is in charge, as ever.

Her thoughts turned to Leah. She kind of felt sorry for her, being so clingy and all, but she was a good person and actually pretty funny. She was easy on the eye and posed little or no emotional attachment. She was exactly what Arizona needed and she seemed to be happy with their arrangement. Maybe _she_ was the one who felt sorry for _Arizona_? Arizona didn't mind who felt what when it came to her and Leah. They had a physical connection that satisfied the others' desires, no strings.

'Thank you,' Arizona smiled when offered a coffee by the train attendant, 'but I'd much prefer a glass of red wine.'

The sun was setting on the perfect horizon, and Arizona nursed her wine, soaking in the freedom she felt at this precise moment. She closed her eyes and imagined herself on the beach, alone and serene, as the evening sun kissed her cheek through the window of the train. She had 8 more hours to go. Enough time for a sleep and some important case reviews.

On arrival in San Fransisco, she took a cab to the hotel she had booked. It was nothing special, but considering the cost of living in a hotel for the foreseeable future, she thought it best not to spend out. It was close to the hospital, end of. Once she had had another nap and was washed and changed, she headed over to the hospital to meet the doctors with whom she would be consulting. Arizona hadn't been in another hospital for some years now, and was admirably juggling her apprehension with her excitement. Different doors, different doctors, same sterile smells. She found comfort in this and confidently walked up to the welcome desk to make her presence known,

'Dr Arizona Robbins. I'm here for a peds consultation with Dr Stone. I'm early,' she smiled.

'Only by three hours,' was the sarcastic yet friendly Californian response. 'Here's your temporary ID, and feel free to take a look around. Canteen is on this floor, Wing D.'

'Thanks.'

As Arizona was attaching her visitor's pass to her jacket, her handbag tilted somewhat, causing her lipstick to fall out. It rolled a short way down the corridor until it was deftly stopped beneath the boot of a female passer-by.

With astonishment, the two women looked at each other incredulously before Arizona broke the silence.

'Lauren?!'

'Arizona - I can't believe it! What are you doing here?'

Blushing, she managed to string a sentence together that bore some resemblance to her purpose.

'I had no idea,' Lauren said, a smile even broader than Arizona had remembered, painting her face.

'And you?' Arizona asked. 'What brings you here?'

'This is my hospital! I work here.'

'It is? I don't know…I guess…I didn't know that -'

Arizona was mentally kicking herself. She was acting like a schoolgirl and here was Lauren all cool and collected.

Lauren was looking at Arizona playfully, perhaps hoping to tease a reaction from her.

Conversely, Arizona was looking all over the place! She daren't catch Lauren's eyes as they were too deep and she thought she might drown.

'I just finished a night shift,' Lauren said, 'I must look horrendous!'

'You don't look horrendous, you look good. Really good.' Arizona felt ridiculous. She fell for Lauren's bait and was now looking her in the eye! 'I guess I owe you an apology,' she offered. 'That night, the storm, after we…afterwards…I switched off.'

'I get it,' Lauren said flatly. 'You don't need to do this. I'm sorry for upping and leaving without a word. I figured it was what you wanted. I assume I wasn't wrong?'

Arizona now looked straight at this gorgeous woman who had one eyebrow slightly cocked in anticipation of her response. She narrowed her eyes, her mind suddenly a lot clearer, if not still in overdrive. She held Lauren's gaze, not allowing her eyes to betray her thumping heart. She only then noticed that Lauren was wearing a leather jacket and jeans. Wow. The sheer lust pounding though her for Lauren had apparently not diminished. Yes, they had been out of touch for good reason, but things were different now.

Cryptically, Arizona looked at her watch instead of answering Lauren's question.

'I have some time before my meet. That coffee we never went for - do you want to go for it now?'

Lauren didn't hesitate. 'I'd love to. Just let me grab my helmet. I'll be two secs.'

Arizona's ears pricked up. Helmet? Sex? But just as her mind was beginning to stray, Lauren returned and gestured for them to head outside.

As she approached her bike, Lauren looked back over her shoulder at Arizona and the two of them couldn't help but laugh.

'You seem quite surprised that I ride!' Lauren noted.

'I suppose I am! I mean, it's not exactly how I pictured you getting around.'

'Oh? And how _did _you picture me?'

'I don't know, a 4x4? Something mumsy and serious perhaps?'

'Oh guuuurl, you have me so wrong! Still, I guess I'm flattered you pictured me at all. Helmet.' She handed Arizona the spare helmet from under the bike seat and jumped on, revving the engine. Arizona had never worn a helmet before and hadn't quite fitted it on properly. Lauren grabbed her lapel and pulled her close before jokingly thumping the helmet down and into place.

'That should do it, now climb on behind me and I'll take you to the best coffee this city has to offer.'

Arizona worked her way onto the back of the motorcycle and held onto Lauren's jacket.

'You're gonna have to hold on a bit tighter than that if you want to stay on!' hollered Lauren through her helmet. Arizona wrapped her arms tight around Lauren's tiny waist and let her body tingle at how good it felt.

By the time they pulled up outside the coffee house, Arizona was in the full swing of laughter.

'I haven't felt this free for so long! That was fun! It made me feel alive!' Then, after a meaningful look, 'You make me feel alive.'

'Well just wait until you've tried this coffee. It'll blow your mind!'

_Was Lauren being purposefully evasive? Maybe she was just playing it cool because Arizona had said they were a mistake. Had Arizona spoken too much too soon? Maybe, maybe not. All Arizona knew was that she was miles away from her normal life, and was suddenly, unexpectedly, in the company of the one woman who had ever completely thrown her. The one woman she had forced out of her mind for self-preservation…_

Lauren led the way to a nice corner spot in the café. Her usual seat in fact. She was known here, and evidently well-liked. She smiled at the pretty waitress and ordered her favourite coffee, two times round.

_Had Arizona really just said that? Or did Lauren just hear what she wanted to hear? She had been wiped out and about to crash when she ran into Arizona just then after her shift. She had begun to imagine that moment countless times, and countless times had stopped herself at hello. They had had no contact after all! As far as she knew, they would never see each other again…_

The coffee came, they spoke, laughed, and flirted for a good hour before Lauren dropped Arizona back off at the hospital.

'Are you in town for long?'

'Three more days. Maybe I'll see you tomorrow?'

Lauren laughed her infectious laugh. 'Just you try to avoid me! But yeah, I'll look forward to random lipsticks rolling my way all day. If for any reason we don't collide -' and without finishing her sentence, she fished a marker pen out of her jacket pocket and wrote her number on Arizona's hand.

'Something I neglected to give you last time.'

And before Arizona could return the gesture, Lauren was back on her bike and heading off down the road.


End file.
